Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Mowing, Pruning, Feeling

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A glimpse of the chokecherry that grows at the base of the big maple.

We did a lot of work outside yesterday. I pruned several bushes, pulled some weeds in the garden, and then we mowed the entire front lawn. It was a gorgeous day. Today, we’ll mow the corral area and the back forty as we’re going to have rain tomorrow, Sunday, and Monday. I’m also going to do some weed whacking since I charged the battery yesterday and the whacker is ready to go.

But first, I’m going to run to the grocery store and to the nursery. I’m hoping my hanging plants are in. Fingers crossed. I want to get there early today and avoid the weekend crowds.

I’ve been feeling a lot of emotions concerning loss lately. In talking about it to Don yesterday, I realized that April 24th was the anniversary of my mom’s death, May 1st was the anniversary of John’s murder, May 6th was my brother’s birthday. Sadness, grief, mourning – it never really ends – and in this particular year, it’s been somehow harder to navigate. I’ve also been thinking and talking about my dad, especially since I’m about to start on this new adventure in oil painting. It has evoked so many memories of his work, of watching him work, knowing that for my war-ravaged father, painting in oils brought him some peace. And he was good at it. Very good.

I spoke of his wooden box filled with oil paints and supplies the other day. On a whim – actually, urged on by Don – I texted Mere to see if we threw that box out when we were clearing out the condo. I explained that I’d been thinking about him and that I was about to explore painting. Her immediate response? I have it and I’ll send it to you. After a bit of back-and-forth because I didn’t want to take it if it was precious to her, she firmly said she’d put it in the mail today. My heart grew so full! I’ll soon have it here in the cottage.

Not to make too big a deal of it, but I was so moved, thinking that Dad would be smiling and happy to see me painting. I intend to have the box nearby whenever I paint.

I’m so emotional these days! It’s all good. It’s important to let myself feel all of it. And I am.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Day Four Hundred

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• As we’ve reached Day Four Hundred, I’m currently pondering whether today will be the last post with the number of days in the title. I haven’t come to a conclusion yet, but I’m leaning toward phasing it out. As I weed in the garden bed today and do the laundry, I’ll be thinking about it.

Current puzzle: Main Street, from 1939.

• The new John Derian puzzle that I ordered last week from Amazon has been delayed. This is made all the more annoying since Oblong Books had it on their shelf and, knowing that I already had it on the way, I didn’t buy it. Amazon is saying delivery will be sometime between May lst and the 15th. No can do. Looks like I might be headed back to Oblong sooner than I thought.

• It rained much of the day yesterday, so everything around here is soggy. The perfect time to pull some weeds in the big garden bed. That’s what I’m going to do this morning.

• Something else to ponder: My sister and I were chatting the other day during FaceTime about messages from our parents. As you know, I had several visits from my mother, both when she was in the nursing home and on the day she died. I’ve never sensed a message or appearance from my father. Or my grandmother. But I did have one, long ago, from my grandfather.

And from my brother – more than one. Both Meredith and I have had dreams in which we were dancing with our brother. Vivid, powerful dreams. I remember feeling pure joy during and after that dream. He will be gone 30 years this year. It doesn’t seem possible. I love the fact that we’ve both danced with David in our dreams.

• Don is currently at our local farm stand/nursery. I was all set to go along and buy some plants but I saw it might go down to 33 this week (that’s awfully close to freezing) so I decided not to go. If I went, I would be tempted to buy plants and I don’t want to worry about them and have to bring them inside this week. So I’ll wait a week and, in the meantime, catch up on all the things that need to be done outside.

That’s it, my friends.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Day Three Hundred Forty-Six

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Yesterday morning we had a nice long chat with this boy:

Oh, talking to Little Z is good for our souls! He is maturing and changing and so smart. He always teaches us something. He’s into Teslas and electric cars and we got to introduce the word ‘hybrid’ to him. Meredith added an office chair to her workspace that spins and Z has advised us that we should invest in a spinning chair – we’d really enjoy it. (I have one, but somehow it doesn’t seem as fun as the one he’s using. )

He’s so beautiful, my nephew.

Then I got to chat with my beloved sister. I haven’t seen her in person in three years or almost three years (time seems somewhat foggy to me these days.) She came to see Escape to Margaritaville  in NYC right before it closed. We miss hugging each other.

Anyway, that conversation, along with a wonderful conversation about spirituality that I had with my husband earlier in the morning, made for a great day. Today? Wet snow. Yuck. “But only 1-3 inches!” she said, looking out the window at the over 30 inches already on the ground.

I also worked on the puzzle.

I’m working from the bottom up, for some reason. Usually, I fill in the letters for The New Yorker  first.

We’re still trying to get an appointment for the vaccine. Get this: if we want to get it through our county, we’ll have to wait until JULY. Are you kidding me? I know there’s a shortage of vaccines but really, New York, you haven’t done a good job on this roll out. We’re very frustrated.

It’s another week in lockdown with snow. Then rain. I long for Spring. But puzzles and chores and books await and thank goodness for them!

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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